Just days away and getting cold feet (edited with template)

[thelilyhammer]

8 months ago I decided to say screw it and do what I could to be ready to apply this cycle. Now that we're just days away, I'm starting to wonder if it is worth applying or if I should wait another year. I feel like the soft parts of my app are pretty good but I'm worried about the facts and figures, mostly my course history.

Date of submission: 6/3/22
Overall GPA: 3.24
Science GPA: 3.32
Bio-Chem-Physics GPA: 3.23
DAT score (include AA and all sections):

Bio: 27
GC: 17
OC: 24
PAT: 21
RC: 25
QR: 18
TS: 22
AA: 22
State of Residence: CO, Grew up in FL and I believe I can claim in state since I graduated from a FL High School

Undergrad Attended: First two years at a CC through a high school dual enrollment program, transferred to big state university
Major: Psychology
Minority? No,
Reapplicant? No
Nontrad? Yes

Volunteering Experience: Roughly 600 hours as an ER volunteer in a large country hospital through high school
Employment: Almost 9600 hrs as a DA in several clinical settings over the past few years. More than a year and a half of those are in public health clinic.
Research: No research
Other Extracurriculars: Spent the past six years doing standup comedy in a big city with relative seriousness
Relevant Honors or Awards: Nothing really of note
LOR type and strength:

• lead dentist/supervisor at FQHC I work at - very strong
• Dentist I worked with at FQHC that is now in OMFS res. Well connected at state school - very strong
• Anatomy and physiology professor from CC that now teaches at a big research school (not sure if that will carry over to his evaluation of me) - very strong
• OChem professor- I'm thinking it will be strong. Always saw me studying, worked together in office hours, A's in ochem I and II, very high ACS score, I made him laugh a lot

Red Flags:

• I have a decent upward trend, 4.0 past 45 credit hours of post bacc retakes/new classes, but ultimate non competitive gpa
• A lot of community college credits. This is largely because the dual enrollment program I was a part of in high school. I'm curious to see if this would effect the way schools view the credits. Basically all my postbacc prereqs have been at CCs
• Some prereqs taken online during covid (though I understand schools have been more lenient in this right now)
• Overall, I am lacking upper level coursework. I think I've only taken 2 or 3 or 300-400 level classes, and when I did I got Cs and Bs.
• I've worked full time through my post bacc course work and have only been able to take 1-2 classes at a time financially and time wise
• I still have Physics II and Biochem pending until Fall. Currently struggling to figure out where and how I will take these classes while working.

Misc Info/Things not stated elsewhere

• History of financial hardship
• Potentially justified poor initial academic performance
• No family with education beyond associate's degrees
• Authentic long term interest in public health work

Schools of Interest (May add/take away)

• CU (state school where I reside. I have some direct connection to the school)
• NSU (in my hometown)
• LECOM
• UF (might not be worth applying here as I know they're pretty selective with grades. I am pretty sure I read that I can get in state status as a graduate of a Florida high school)
• UIC
• DCG Augusta
• UTSHC
• UMaryland
• UNE

I've had so many friends and mentors encouraging me along the way, which has been really helpful but I'm worried it may have made me overlook my transcript concerns. I think dentists and the dental students I work with see my experience as a DA and hear me talk about dentistry with relative fluency and just assume I'll be able to get in. However, I know that at the end of the day, your undergraduate history is big for schools. Right now, I think I am very likely to be told to either reapply with more upper levels or do a special masters. If this is that likely, I'm wondering if I should just hold off and save the 1000+ dollars applying is going to cost me. If I have a shot at some interviews, I'll still apply but I'm just not sure how likely that is. I'm relatively (fingers crossed) confident I could do well in interviews, but getting them is the big if for me.

I'm grateful for any thoughts you might have.

Thanks!

---

Members don't see this ad.

 

[PerioDont]

Have you asked anyone at CU what they think?

 

[bracketbuster68]

Take off UIC. It's expensive and rare to get in as OOS.

 

[Cemg7]

I am also recommending to take off UTSHC. Texas schools are super competitive to get in, and they do favor a LOT in state applicants. Unless you can claim somehow Texas residency, your application is probably a donation to the school... If COA is not an important factor for you, then you should consider the two Utah schools, U of U and Roseman.

 

[thelilyhammer]

I am also recommending to take off UTSHC. Texas schools are super competitive to get in, and they do favor a LOT in state applicants. Unless you can claim somehow Texas residency, your application is probably a donation to the school... If COA is not an important factor for you, then you should consider the two Utah schools, U of U and RosI am also recommending to take off UTSHC. Texas schools are super competitive to get in, and they do favor a LOT in state applicants. Unless you can claim somehow Texas residency, your application is probably a donation to the school... If COA is not an important factor for you, then you should consider the two Utah schools, U of U and Rosem

Haha I wish it was Texas, those tuitions are insanely low. University of Tennessee Health Science Center. I’ll definitely look into the Utah schools. I was kind of interested in ending up back East, but I can’t be picky.

Thanks for your response

 

[thelilyhammer]

Take off UIC. It's expensive and rare to get in as OOS.

Yeah I think you’re right. It is insanely expensive. I lived in Chicago for a while, I guess I miss it.

 

[thelilyhammer]

Have you asked anyone at CU what they think?

They’ve been pretty optimistic when I talk to them, and I’m grateful for it, but I kind of feel like it’s easier to be optimistic when you’re on the other side haha.

 

[macsak]

8 months ago I decided to say screw it and do what I could to be ready to apply this cycle. Now that we're just days away, I'm starting to wonder if it is worth applying or if I should wait another year. I feel like the soft parts of my app are pretty good but I'm worried about the facts and figures, mostly my course history.

Date of submission: 6/3/22
Overall GPA: 3.24
Science GPA: 3.32
Bio-Chem-Physics GPA: 3.23
DAT score (include AA and all sections):

Bio: 27
GC: 17
OC: 24
PAT: 21
RC: 25
QR: 18
TS: 22
AA: 22
State of Residence: CO, Grew up in FL and I believe I can claim in state since I graduated from a FL High School

Undergrad Attended: First two years at a CC through a high school dual enrollment program, transferred to big state university
Major: Psychology
Minority? No,
Reapplicant? No
Nontrad? Yes

Volunteering Experience: Roughly 600 hours as an ER volunteer in a large country hospital through high school
Employment: Almost 9600 hrs as a DA in several clinical settings over the past few years. More than a year and a half of those are in public health clinic.
Research: No research
Other Extracurriculars: Spent the past six years doing standup comedy in a big city with relative seriousness
Relevant Honors or Awards: Nothing really of note
LOR type and strength:

• lead dentist/supervisor at FQHC I work at - very strong
• Dentist I worked with at FQHC that is now in OMFS res. Well connected at state school - very strong
• Anatomy and physiology professor from CC that now teaches at a big research school (not sure if that will carry over to his evaluation of me) - very strong
• OChem professor- I'm thinking it will be strong. Always saw me studying, worked together in office hours, A's in ochem I and II, very high ACS score, I made him laugh a lot

Red Flags:

• I have a decent upward trend, 4.0 past 45 credit hours of post bacc retakes/new classes, but ultimate non competitive gpa
• A lot of community college credits. This is largely because the dual enrollment program I was a part of in high school. I'm curious to see if this would effect the way schools view the credits. Basically all my postbacc prereqs have been at CCs
• Some prereqs taken online during covid (though I understand schools have been more lenient in this right now)
• Overall, I am lacking upper level coursework. I think I've only taken 2 or 3 or 300-400 level classes, and when I did I got Cs and Bs.
• I've worked full time through my post bacc course work and have only been able to take 1-2 classes at a time financially and time wise
• I still have Physics II and Biochem pending until Fall. Currently struggling to figure out where and how I will take these classes while working.

Misc Info/Things not stated elsewhere

• History of financial hardship
• Potentially justified poor initial academic performance
• No family with education beyond associate's degrees
• Authentic long term interest in public health work

Schools of Interest (May add/take away)

• CU (state school where I reside. I have some direct connection to the school)
• NSU (in my hometown)
• LECOM
• UF (might not be worth applying here as I know they're pretty selective with grades. I am pretty sure I read that I can get in state status as a graduate of a Florida high school)
• UIC
• DCG Augusta
• UTSHC
• UMaryland
• UNE

I've had so many friends and mentors encouraging me along the way, which has been really helpful but I'm worried it may have made me overlook my transcript concerns. I think dentists and the dental students I work with see my experience as a DA and hear me talk about dentistry with relative fluency and just assume I'll be able to get in. However, I know that at the end of the day, your undergraduate history is big for schools. Right now, I think I am very likely to be told to either reapply with more upper levels or do a special masters. If this is that likely, I'm wondering if I should just hold off and save the 1000+ dollars applying is going to cost me. If I have a shot at some interviews, I'll still apply but I'm just not sure how likely that is. I'm relatively (fingers crossed) confident I could do well in interviews, but getting them is the big if for me.

I'm grateful for any thoughts you might have.

Thanks!

apply to more schools and more broadly (you have way too many public schools, and too few privates)